Pure Church

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Thabiti,

First I would like to say that I enjoy the open conversation that is often found on your blog and it has been great to allow me to reflect on some of my own personal beliefs and emotions. I listened to the complete interview between Mohler and Redmond and I agree with the importance of Christ being the center of our preaching and teaching. I am a Pastor of a small rural church in North Carolina consisting predominately of African American congregants and I find it all most impossible not to rightly relate the struggle in the African American community to the struggle of the nation of Israel from Egypt, but that is not to say that every Christian no matter what his/her race cannot make that comparison with their struggle with sin. It has been my experience in the African American church that within this “liberation theology of the 60’s” that the modern day African American preacher always makes the declaration that Christ is the liberator and as such He liberates us from our sins. Now I understand the tangible analogies of these sins maybe illustrated as a wicked society that is doing the bidding of that, but it is always the sin of mankind that makes up the society. Therefore, there is a need for individual repentance, but also national repentance and that is how I view the Jeremiah Wright phenomena. God, has called me as a Pastor to feed His flock with the whole counsels of His Word and I find that quite challenging in my day-to-day pastoral administration, whether I am African American or Caucasian. Sometimes I am disappointed in the clergy when we make general and broad stroking terms to describe the African American church community. We make it sound like the African American Church is narrow in its theology and understanding of the Bible. I say to you that as I am here in the trenches trying to change the life style of God’s people that the body of Christ would come together and pray for one another. Our church hosted the week of prayer and revival for the Healing of Aids/HIV, and after I did research on the statistics and how this disease impacts the community that I am involved in I don’t have any time to preach about material prosperity , but I must preach on the importance of the spiritual health of our nation and I believe this gives me a great opportunity through His Word to admonish my congregants and community to change their lifestyles and be made whole through the Gospel of Christ. I say in spite of all of our difference I pray that we would focus on what we have in common (Christ) and attempt through open and honest conversation to bridge the gap and move forward in building God’s kingdom.

Humbly Submitted,

Anthony Coleman